Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Too jaded to vote? Too cool to help? You're full of it.

by David Atkins

There are 364 days of the year to argue about policy and lobby legislators. But today, all of that goes out the window. Grand Bargains, foreign policy errors and corporate policy are all important topics of conversation and action tomorrow.

But today only one thing matters: the vote. Unless you happen to be one of the deluded few who believe that there is no difference between Romney and Obama, you know that preventing a Republican takeover of the Presidency, the Congress, state and local governments is absolutely crucial. We can work on backsliders in our own fold, but there's almost nothing we can do to influence the actions of the fevered Right.

So please, even if you haven't taken any direct action for the election until now, take the time to vote and help get out the vote. If you would like to help the President, here's how you can do something to help no matter which state you live in.

Don't want to help the President? That's more than OK. I haven't done much for the President this year, either. My focus has been on keeping Tea Partiers out of Congress locally, electing a local climate change and progressive champion to Congress instead in one of America's top tossup districts, making sure that California gets a 2/3 majority in the State Senate (remember that we were 2 votes shy of that for single-payer healthcare in the state), and keeping local city and county elections out of the hands of Republicans and conservadems in the pockets of big developers and oil interests. And then there's the Millionaire's tax, Proposition 30, which sits on a knife's edge and determines whether we'll suffer billions of cuts to schools; Proposition 32 which would strangle labor unions in California if it passes; Proposition 34 to end the death penalty; Proposition 37 to label genetically modified foods; and much more.

And that's all just in California alone. No one is so jaded so as to believe that none of those things matter enough to get involved or to vote just because they're unhappy with some politician somewhere. If they say so, they're full of BS.

Chances are that there is at least one important race having in your backyard. Look at your ballot. Check your local Democratic Party's endorsements, and read up on the candidates and issues.

And please get involved to convince people and turn out the vote. It's all that matters today.